I have in my hands...

A book.

To me, it’s a very special book. It’s not because of the cover, lovely though it is. But no one else will feel the need to coo and stroke the gold embossed bits as I have today. It has a delicious new smell but then, don’t all new books have that?

It joins the millions of other novels that are on sale. It could end up on a remainder pile or it could do really well. Who knows? It has to take its chances, along with all the rest.

But whatever happens, opening the package that contained it today was a moment pretty much up there with saying ‘I do’ and hearing ‘It’s a boy!’ for the first time. Because it’s my book.

It’s not even the first one that I’ve had published, but it’s the first novel and the only one that wasn’t written as a work commission. Instead it was a true labour of love.

I just want to thank all of you – you know who you are – for propping me up and cheering me on during this whole rollercoaster of getting published.

I’m told by more experienced writers that the first time will always be the most special.

So I’m going to take a little time just to enjoy this moment and feel thankful. Maybe I’ll stroke the gold embossing again and give it another little sniff.

There’s always tomorrow to start obsessing about Amazon rankings....

Dark Ride by Caroline Green, published by Piccadilly Press

Watch a trailer here